Method for joining nonwoven mesh products

ABSTRACT

A press fabric for the press section of a paper machine has a base fabric which includes a nonwoven mesh fabric. The base fabric, or a layer thereof, is assembled in integral form using a strip or strips of the nonwoven mesh fabric. The assembly may be effected by spirally winding the nonwoven mesh fabric in a plurality of non-overlapping turns, by abutting each turn of the nonwoven mesh fabric against that previously wound, and by joining each turn of the nonwoven mesh fabric to that previously wound to form an endless loop. Alternatively, a plurality of endless loops of equivalent length are formed from separate strips of nonwoven mesh fabric, and arranged in a side-by-side abutting relationship. The endless loops are then joined, one to the next, to provide a base fabric, or component thereof, in the form of an endless loop.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to the papermaking arts. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to press fabrics for thepress section of a paper machine.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] During the papermaking process, a cellulosic fibrous web isformed by depositing a fibrous slurry, that is, an aqueous dispersion ofcellulose fibers, onto a moving forming fabric in the forming section ofa paper machine. A large amount of water is drained from the slurrythrough the forming fabric, leaving the cellulosic fibrous web on thesurface of the forming fabric.

[0005] The newly formed cellulosic fibrous web proceeds from the formingsection to a press section, which includes a series of press nips. Thecellulosic fibrous web passes through the press nips supported by apress fabric, or, as is often the case, between two such press fabrics.In the press nips, the cellulosic fibrous web is subjected tocompressive forces which squeeze water therefrom, and which adhere thecellulosic fibers in the web to one another to turn the cellulosicfibrous web into a paper sheet. The water is accepted by the pressfabric or fabrics and, ideally, does not return to the paper sheet.

[0006] The paper sheet finally proceeds to a dryer section, whichincludes at least one series of rotatable dryer drums or cylinders,which are internally heated by steam. The newly formed paper sheet isdirected in a serpentine path sequentially around each in the series ofdrums by a dryer fabric, which holds the paper sheet closely against thesurfaces of the drums. The heated drums reduce the water content of thepaper sheet to a desirable level through evaporation.

[0007] It should be appreciated that the forming, press and dryerfabrics all take the form of endless loops on the paper machine andfunction in the manner of conveyors. It should further be appreciatedthat paper manufacture is a continuous process which proceeds atconsiderable speeds. That is to say, the fibrous slurry is continuouslydeposited onto the forming fabric in the forming section, while a newlymanufactured paper sheet is continuously wound onto rolls after it exitsfrom the dryer section.

[0008] The present invention relates specifically to the press fabricsused in the press section. Press fabrics play a critical role during thepaper manufacturing process. One of their functions, as implied above,is to support and to carry the paper product being manufactured throughthe press nips.

[0009] Press fabrics also participate in the finishing of the surface ofthe paper sheet. That is, press fabrics are designed to have smoothsurfaces and uniformly resilient structures, so that, in the course ofpassing through the press nips, a smooth, mark-free surface is impartedto the paper.

[0010] Perhaps most importantly, the press fabrics accept the largequantities of water extracted from the wet paper in the press nip. Inorder to fill this function, there literally must be space, commonlyreferred to as void volume, within the press fabric for the water to go,and the fabric must have adequate permeability to water for its entireuseful life. Finally, press fabrics must be able to prevent the wateraccepted from the wet paper from returning to and rewetting the paperupon exit from the press nip.

[0011] Contemporary press fabrics are produced in a wide variety ofstyles designed to meet the requirements of the paper machines on whichthey are installed for the paper grades being manufactured. Generally,they comprise a woven base fabric into which has been needled a batt offine, nonwoven fibrous material. The base fabrics may be woven frommonofilament, plied monofilament, multifilament or plied multifilamentyarns, and may be single-layered, multi-layered or laminated. The yarnsare typically extruded from any one of the synthetic polymeric resins,such as polyamide and polyester resins, used for this purpose by thoseof ordinary skill in the paper machine clothing arts.

[0012] The woven base fabrics themselves take many different forms. Forexample, they may be woven endless, or flat woven and subsequentlyrendered into endless form with a woven seam. Alternatively, they may beproduced by a process commonly known as modified endless weaving,wherein the widthwise edges of the base fabric are provided with seamingloops using the machine-direction (MD) yarns thereof. In this process,the MD yarns weave continuously back-and-forth between the widthwiseedges of the fabric, at each edge turning back and forming a seamingloop. A base fabric produced in this fashion is placed into endless formduring installation on a papermachine, and for this reason is referredto as an on-machine-seamable fabric. To place such a fabric into endlessform, the two widthwise edges are brought together, the seaming loops atthe two edges are interdigitated with one another, and a seaming pin orpintle is directed through the passage formed by the interdigitatedseaming loops.

[0013] Further, the woven base fabrics may be laminated by placing onebase fabric within the endless loop formed by another, and by needling astaple fiber batt through both base fabrics to join them to one another.One or both woven base fabrics may be of the on-machine-seamable type.

[0014] In any event, the woven base fabrics are in the form of endlessloops, or are seamable into such forms, having a specific length,measured longitudinally therearound, and a specific width, measuredtransversely thereacross. Because paper machine configurations varywidely, paper machine clothing manufacturers are required to producepress fabrics, and other paper machine clothing, to the dimensionsrequired to fit particular positions in the paper machines of theircustomers. Needless to say, this requirement makes it difficult tostreamline the manufacturing process, as each press fabric musttypically be made to order.

[0015] In response to this need to produce press fabrics in a variety oflengths and widths more quickly and efficiently, press fabrics have beenproduced in recent years using a spiral technique disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,656 to Rexfelt et al., the teachings ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

[0016] U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,656 shows a press fabric comprising a basefabric having one or more layers of staple fiber material needledthereinto. The base fabric comprises at least one layer composed of aspirally wound strip of woven fabric having a width which is smallerthan the width of the base fabric. The base fabric is endless in thelongitudinal, or machine, direction. Lengthwise threads of the spirallywound strip make an angle with the longitudinal direction of the pressfabric. The strip of woven fabric may be flat-woven on a loom which isnarrower than those typically used in the production of paper machineclothing.

[0017] The base fabric comprises a plurality of spirally wound andjoined turns of the relatively narrow woven fabric strip. The fabricstrip is woven from lengthwise (warp) and crosswise (filling) yarns.Adjacent turns of the spirally wound fabric strip may be abutted againstone another, and the helically continuous seam so produced may be closedby sewing, stitching, melting or welding. Alternatively, adjacentlongitudinal edge portions of adjoining spiral turns may be arrangedoverlappingly, so long as the edges have a reduced thickness, so as notto give rise to an increased thickness in the area of the overlap.Further, the spacing between lengthwise yarns may be increased at theedges of the strip, so that, when adjoining spiral turns are arrangedoverlappingly, there may be an unchanged spacing between lengthwisethreads in the area of the overlap.

[0018] In any case, a woven base fabric, taking the form of an endlessloop and having an inner surface, a longitudinal (machine) direction anda transverse (cross-machine) direction, is the result. The lateral edgesof the woven base fabric are then trimmed to render them parallel to itslongitudinal (machine) direction. The angle between the machinedirection of the woven base fabric and the helically continuous seam maybe relatively small, that is, typically less than 10°. By the sametoken, the lengthwise (warp) yarns of the woven fabric strip make thesame relatively small angle with the longitudinal (machine) direction ofthe woven base fabric. Similarly, the crosswise (filling) yarns of thewoven fabric strip, being perpendicular to the lengthwise (warp) yarns,make the same relatively small angle with the transverse (cross-machine)direction of the woven base fabric. In short, neither the lengthwise(warp) nor the crosswise (filing) yarns of the woven fabric strip alignwith the longitudinal (machine) or transverse (cross-machine) directionsof the woven base fabric.

[0019] In the method shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,656, the woven fabricstrip is wound around two parallel rolls to assemble the woven basefabric. It will be recognized that endless base fabrics in a variety ofwidths and lengths may be provided by spirally winding a relativelynarrow piece of woven fabric strip around the two parallel rolls, thelength of a particular endless base fabric being determined by thelength of each spiral turn of the woven fabric strip, and the widthbeing determined by the number of spiral turns of the woven fabricstrip. The prior necessity of weaving complete base fabrics of specifiedlengths and widths to order may thereby be avoided. Instead, a loom asnarrow as 20 inches (0.5 meters) could be used to produce a woven fabricstrip, but, for reasons of practicality, a conventional textile loomhaving a width of from 40 to 60 inches (1.0 to 1.5 meters) may bepreferred.

[0020] Nevertheless, the method shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,656 stillrequires that a woven fabric strip be manufactured in an operationseparate from the assembly of the woven base fabric. There remainsconsiderable interest among manufacturers of paper machine clothing tostreamline the process of manufacturing press fabrics still further bysubstituting a strip of nonwoven material for the woven fabric strip,thereby eliminating the weaving process altogether. Needless to say, themanufacture of the strip of nonwoven material would be lesstime-consuming and more efficient, per unit length, than the productionof a woven fabric strip.

[0021] Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,734 to Johnson, theteachings of which are incorporated herein by reference, shows a pressfabric which comprises a base fabric of interwoven textile yarns and aplurality of nonwoven layers of synthetic textile fibers, each nonwovenlayer being attached to adjacent layers and collectively to the basefabric by needling. Interposed between adjacent nonwoven layers of thesynthetic textile fibers is a layer of mesh fabric. In preferredembodiments, the mesh fabric is a nonwoven mesh fabric fabricated byextrusion or like techniques from thermoplastic resins, such aspolypropylene, polyethylene and the like. The nonwoven mesh fabric has anet-like structure of monofilament-like ribs or yarns, which may beoriented in the lengthwise and crosswise directions of a strip of thenonwoven mesh fabric.

[0022] U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,798,760 and 4,830,915 show press fabrics havingmore than one layer of nonwoven mesh fabric. In the former patent, thepress fabric includes a woven base fabric; in the latter, there is nowoven base fabric.

[0023] To its advantage, the nonwoven mesh fabrics shown in theseprior-art patents provide the press fabrics with additional void volume,and layers formed therefrom are more resistant to compaction than thoseformed from woven fabrics. In addition, lacking the knuckles whichcharacterize the surfaces of woven fabrics, a nonwoven mesh fabric usedin the topmost, or paper-contacting, layer of a press fabric contributesto the production of a smooth, mark-free paper sheet.

[0024] Unfortunately, the use of nonwoven mesh fabrics in press fabricshas been limited by their lack of availability in widths greater than150 inches (3.8 meters), while the press fabrics themselves can easilybe 400 inches (10.2 meters) or more in width.

[0025] The present invention provides a method for joining nonwoven meshfabrics together so that they may be more widely used as components inpress fabrics for paper machines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Accordingly, the present invention is both a method formanufacturing a press fabric for the press section of a paper machine,and the press fabrics obtained through the practice of the method. Thepress fabrics include base fabrics formed by joining a strip or stripsof nonwoven mesh fabric together to form an endless loop of the desiredsize having a machine direction, a cross-machine direction, an innersurface and an outer surface. The endless loops so obtained maythemselves be used as base fabrics, or may be included as a component ofa laminated base fabric.

[0027] The base fabrics may be assembled from a strip or strips ofnonwoven mesh fabric in two ways. In the first, a strip of nonwoven meshfabric is spirally wound in a plurality of non-overlapping turns. Eachturn of the spirally wound nonwoven mesh fabric is abutted against thatpreviously wound, and joined thereto by sewing, stitching, melting orwelding. This yields a base fabric of a width greater than that of thestrip of nonwoven mesh fabric in the form of an endless loop having aninner surface, an outer surface, a longitudinal direction and atransverse direction.

[0028] In the second of the two ways, a plurality of endless loops ofequivalent preselected length are formed from strips of nonwoven meshfabric. The plurality of endless loops are arranged in a side-by-siderelationship and abutted, one with the next. Each endless loop is thenjoined to those on either side by sewing, stitching, melting or welding.This again yields a base fabric of width greater than that of the stripsof nonwoven mesh fabric in the form of an endless loop having an innersurface, an outer surface, a longitudinal direction and a transversedirection, with the difference that the strips of nonwoven mesh fabricare oriented longitudinally rather than being spirally wound.

[0029] The present invention will now be described in more completedetail with frequent reference being made to the drawing figuresidentified below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030]FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view illustrating a method formanufacturing a base fabric for the press fabric of the presentinvention;

[0031]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a finished base fabric;

[0032]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a nonwoven mesh fabric; and

[0033]FIG. 4 is a schematic top plan view illustrating an alternativemethod for manufacturing a base fabric for the press fabric.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] Referring now to the several figures, FIG. 1 is a schematic topplan view illustrating a method for joining nonwoven mesh fabricsedge-to-edge to assemble endless loops therefrom for use as basefabrics, or as components of base fabrics, for press fabrics for papermachines. The method may be practiced using an apparatus 10 comprising afirst roll 12 and a second roll 14, which are parallel to one anotherand which may be rotated in the directions indicated by the arrows inFIG. 1. A nonwoven mesh fabric 16 in the form of a strip is wound from astock roll 18 around the first roll 12 and the second roll 14 in acontinuous spiral. It will be recognized that it may be necessary totranslate the stock roll 18 at a suitable rate along second roll 14 (tothe right in FIG. 1) as the nonwoven mesh fabric 16 is being woundaround the rolls 12,14.

[0035] The first roll 12 and the second roll 14 are separated by adistance D, which is determined with reference to the total length, C,required for the base fabric, or component thereof, being manufactured,the total length, C, measured longitudinally (in the machine direction)about its endless-loop form. Nonwoven mesh fabric 16, having a width w,is spirally wound onto the first and second rolls 12,14 in a pluralityof turns from stock roll 18, which may be translated along the secondroll 14 in the course of the winding. Successive turns of the nonwovenmesh fabric 16 are abutted edge-to-edge against one another and areattached to one another along helically continuous seam 20 by sewing,stitching, melting or welding to produce base fabric 22 as shown in FIG.2. When a sufficient number of turns of the nonwoven mesh fabric 16 havebeen made to produce base fabric 22 in the desired width W, that widthbeing measured transversely (in the cross-machine direction) across theendless-loop form of the base fabric 22, the spiral winding isconcluded. The base fabric 22 so obtained has an inner surface, an outersurface, a machine direction and a cross-machine direction. Initially,the lateral edges of the base fabric 22, it will be apparent, will notbe parallel to the machine direction thereof, and must be trimmed alonglines 24 to provide the base fabric 22 with the desired width W, andwith two lateral edges parallel to the machine direction of itsendless-loop form.

[0036] Nonwoven mesh fabric 16 may be of the variety disclosed incommonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,734 to Johnson, the teachings ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference. A plan view of the nonwovenmesh fabric 16 is provided in FIG. 3. The nonwoven mesh fabric 16 has anet-like structure of ribs or yarns defining a mesh. Themonofilament-like elements 26,28 making up the nonwoven mesh fabric 16are oriented in the lengthwise and crosswise directions thereof,respectively. It should be understood, however, that themonofilament-like elements may alternatively be oriented diagonallyrelative to the lengthwise and crosswise directions of the nonwoven meshfabric.

[0037] The nonwoven mesh fabric 16 is fabricated by extrusion or liketechniques from thermoplastic resins, such as polyamide, polypropylene,polyethylene and the like.

[0038] The monofilament-like elements 26,28 may themselves have widthsor diameters in a range from 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, although the widths ordiameters may be as large as 1.0 mm. Monofilament-like elements 26,28may each be of a different width or diameter. Moreover,monofilament-like elements 26,28 may be of circular, square orrectangular cross section. A typical rectangular dimension would be, forexample, 0.5 mm (wide) by 0.2 mm (thick). Finally, monofilament-likeelements 26,28 may be separated from those adjacent thereto by a spacingin the range from 0.1 mm to 2.0 mm.

[0039] Because the non-woven mesh fabric 16 is spirally wound toassemble base fabric 22, the monofilament-like elements 26,28 making upthe nonwoven mesh fabric 16 do not align with the machine andcross-machine directions, respectively, of the base fabric 22. Rather,the lengthwise monofilament-like elements 26 of the nonwoven mesh fabric16 make a slight angle, 0, whose magnitude is a measure of the pitch ofthe spiral windings of the nonwoven mesh fabric 16, with respect to themachine direction of the base fabric 22, as suggested by the top planview thereof shown in FIG. 2. This angle, as previously noted, istypically less than 10°. Because the lengthwise and crosswisemonofilament-like elements 26,28 generally cross one another at a 90°angle, the crosswise monofilament-like elements 28 make the same slightangle, θ, with respect to the cross-machine direction of the base fabric22.

[0040] Nonwoven mesh fabric 16 has a first lateral edge 30 and a secondlateral edge 32 which together define the width w of the nonwoven meshfabric 16. As the nonwoven mesh fabric 16 is being spirally wound ontothe first and second rolls 12,14, the first lateral edge 30 of each turnis abutted against the second lateral edge 32 of the immediatelypreceding turn, and joined thereto by sewing, stitching, melting orwelding.

[0041] In an alternative method, the nonwoven mesh fabric 16 may belooped around the first and second rolls 12,14 in a directionperpendicular thereto, rather than spirally wound thereabout. In thismanner, an endless loop having a width w, may be formed from thenonwoven mesh fabric 16 by attaching its ends to one another by sewing,stitching, melting or welding. The ends are temporarily held or clampedtogether while being so attached to each other. The ends may be cut inthe crosswise direction of the nonwoven mesh fabric 16, or in adirection between the lengthwise and crosswise directions, that is, on abias. In order to produce a base fabric of width W, a plurality ofendless loops 40, each having a width w, is assembled in this mannerabout the first and second rolls 12,14, each endless loop being abuttedside-by-side against the next and its lengthwise edges 42 attached tothose of adjacent loops by sewing, stitching, melting or welding. Theseams 44 formed where the ends of nonwoven mesh fabric 16 are joined tomake endless loops 40 are preferably staggered in the machine directionof the base fabric being manufactured so as not to produce a continuousseam in the cross-machine direction thereof. This process is continueduntil the width of the attached endless loops 40, which is some integermultiple of the width w of each endless loop 40, equals or exceeds thewidth W desired for the base fabric. When the width obtained exceedsthat desired, the lateral edge or edges of the attached endless loopsmay be trimmed in the machine direction to bring the width down to thedesired value W.

[0042] Whether spirally or longitudinally wound, base fabrics assembledfrom nonwoven mesh fabrics may be layered one atop (or around) the otherto provide a laminated base fabric having no woven elements. That is tosay, each subsequent layer is assembled on top of those previouslyassembled on apparatus 10. Any number of such base fabrics may be solayered to provide a laminated base fabric having a plurality of layers.Where the base fabric is layered, each of its plurality of layers may bemade from a nonwoven mesh fabric 16 made of a different thermoplasticresin and/or of a different mesh value.

[0043] Further, where a laminated base fabric comprises two spirallywound layers, one of the layers may be produced by spirally winding thenonwoven mesh fabric 16 in one direction, and the other layer may beproduced by spirally winding the nonwoven mesh fabric 16 in the otherdirection, so that one layer will be in the form of a right-handedspiral, while the other will be in the form of a left-handed spiral.

[0044] Moreover, where a laminated base fabric comprises twolongitudinally wound layers, it is preferred that the seams formed wherelengthwise edges 42 are attached together in one layer not overlap thosein the other layer. This can be ensured by offsetting one layer from theother, or by using strips of nonwoven mesh fabric 16 having differentwidths for each of the two layers, so that the seams between lengthwiseedges 42 never overlap one another.

[0045] In any event, one or both surfaces of either a single-layer orlaminated base fabric assembled from a nonwoven mesh fabric may have aplurality of layers of staple fiber material attached thereto byneedling. Where the base fabric is laminated, the staple fiber materialprovides the attachment of the individual base fabric layers to oneanother. Moreover, where the base fabric is laminated, one or morelayers of staple fiber material may be included between adjacent layers.

[0046] Modifications to the press fabrics so produced would be obviousto those of ordinary skill in the art, but would not bring the inventionso modified beyond the scope of the appended claims. For example, thebase fabric thereof may also comprise, in addition to one or more layersformed by spirally or longitudinally winding a nonwoven mesh fabric, oneor more layers of standard base fabric. That is to say, one or moreadditional layers may be formed by fabrics having machine- andcross-machine direction yarns and produced by techniques well-known tothose of ordinary skill in the art. Such a fabric may be woven endlessin the dimensions required for the paper machine for which it isintended, or flat woven and subsequently rendered into endless form witha woven seam. It may also be produced by a modified endless weavingtechnique to be on-machine-seamable. Laminated fabrics, having one ormore standard base fabric layers, may also be used. Finally, one or moreadditional layers may be formed by spirally winding a woven fabric stripin a plurality of turns about a pair of rolls, by abutting adjacentturns of the spirally wound woven fabric strip against one another, andby closing the helically continuous seam so produced by sewing,stitching, melting or welding, in the manner taught in commonly assignedU.S. Pat. No. 5,360,656.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for manufacturing a press fabric for thepress section of a paper machine, said method comprising the steps of:a) manufacturing a nonwoven mesh fabric having a preselected width; b)spirally winding said nonwoven mesh fabric in a plurality ofnon-overlapping turns; c) abutting each turn of said nonwoven meshfabric against that previously wound; d) joining each turn of saidnonwoven mesh fabric to that previously wound to form a base fabric ofwidth greater than said preselected width of said nonwoven mesh fabricand to provide a base fabric in the form of an endless loop having aninner surface, an outer surface, a longitudinal direction and atransverse direction; and e) attaching a plurality of layers of staplefiber material to at least one of said inner and outer surfaces of saidbase fabric.
 2. A method for manufacturing a press fabric as claimed inclaim 1 , wherein said base fabric is a first base fabric, furthercomprising, between steps d) and e), the steps of: a) forming aplurality of endless loops of equivalent preselected length from saidnonwoven mesh fabric; b) arranging said plurality of endless loops in aside-by-side relationship; c) abutting each of said plurality of endlessloops against those adjacent thereto; d) joining each of said pluralityof endless loops to those adjacent thereto to form a second base fabricof width greater than said preselected width of said nonwoven meshfabric and to provide a second base fabric in the form of an endlessloop having an inner surface, an outer surface, a longitudinal directionand a transverse direction; and e) disposing said second base fabric ontop of (around) said first base fabric to provide a laminated basefabric.
 3. A method for manufacturing a press fabric as claimed in claim2 , further comprising, between steps d) and e), the step of attachingat least one layer of staple fiber material to said outer surface ofsaid first base fabric.
 4. A method for manufacturing a press fabric asclaimed in claim 1 , wherein said base fabric is a first base fabric,further comprising, between steps d) and e), the steps of: a) spirallywinding said nonwoven mesh fabric in a second plurality ofnon-overlapping turns; b) abutting each turn of said nonwoven meshfabric against that previously wound; c) joining each turn of saidnonwoven mesh fabric to that previously wound to form a second basefabric of width greater than said preselected width of said nonwovenmesh fabric and to provide a second base fabric in the form of anendless loop having an inner surface, and outer surface, a longitudinaldirection and a transverse direction; and d) disposing said second basefabric on top of (around) said first base fabric to provide a laminatedbase fabric.
 5. A method for manufacturing a press fabric as claimed inclaim 4 , further comprising, between steps c) and d), the step ofattaching at least one layer of staple fiber material to said outersurface of said first base fabric.
 6. A method for manufacturing a pressfabric as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said second plurality ofnon-overlapping turns is spirally wound in a direction opposite to thatin said first base fabric.
 7. A method for manufacturing a press fabricas claimed in claim 1 , wherein said base fabric is a first base fabric,further comprising, between steps d) and e), the steps of: a) providinga second base fabric woven from machine- and cross-machine-directionyarns, said second base fabric having an outer surface; and b) disposingsaid second base fabric inside of said first base fabric to provide alaminated base fabric.
 8. A method for manufacturing a press fabric asclaimed in claim 7 , further comprising, between steps a) and b), thestep of attaching at least one layer of staple fiber material to saidouter surface of said second base fabric.
 9. A method for manufacturinga press fabric as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of:attaching a plurality of layers of staple fiber material to both of saidinner and outer surfaces of said base fabric.
 10. A method formanufacturing a press fabric for the press section of a paper machine,said method comprising the steps of: a) manufacturing a nonwoven meshfabric having a preselected width; b) forming a plurality of endlessloops of equivalent preselected length from said nonwoven mesh fabric;c) arranging said plurality of endless loops in a side-by-siderelationship; d) abutting each of said plurality of endless loopsagainst those adjacent thereto; e) joining each of said plurality ofendless loops to those adjacent thereto to form a base fabric of widthgreater than said preselected width of said nonwoven mesh fabric and toprovide a base fabric in the form of an endless loop having an innersurface, an outer surface, a longitudinal direction and a transversedirection; and f) attaching a plurality of layers of staple fibermaterial to at least one of said inner and outer surfaces of said basefabric.
 11. A method for manufacturing a press fabric as claimed inclaim 10 , wherein said base fabric is a first base fabric, furthercomprising, between steps e) and f), the steps of: a) forming a secondplurality of endless loops of equivalent preselected length from saidnonwoven mesh fabric; b) arranging said second plurality of endlessloops in a side-by-side relationship; c) abutting each of said secondplurality of endless loops against those adjacent thereto; d) joiningeach of said second plurality of endless loops to those adjacent theretoto form a second base fabric of width greater than said preselectedwidth of said nonwoven mesh fabric and to provide a second base fabricin the form of an endless loop having an inner surface, an outersurface, a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction; and e)disposing said second base fabric on top of (around) said first basefabric to provide a laminated base fabric.
 12. A method formanufacturing a press fabric as claimed in claim 11 , furthercomprising, between steps d) and e), the step of attaching at least onelayer of staple fiber material to said outer surface of said first basefabric.
 13. A method for manufacturing a press fabric as claimed inclaim 10 , wherein said base fabric is a first base fabric, furthercomprising, between steps e) and f), the steps of: a) spirally windingsaid nonwoven mesh fabric in a plurality of non-overlapping turns; b)abutting each turn of said nonwoven mesh fabric against that previouslywound; c) joining each turn of said nonwoven mesh fabric to thatpreviously wound to form a second base fabric of width greater than saidpreselected width of said nonwoven mesh fabric and to provide a secondbase fabric in the form of an endless loop having an inner surface, andouter surface, a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction; andd) disposing said second base fabric on top of (around) said first basefabric to provide a laminated base fabric.
 14. A method formanufacturing a press fabric as claimed in claim 13 , furthercomprising, between steps c) and d), the step of attaching at least onelayer of staple fiber material to said outer surface of said first basefabric.
 15. A method for manufacturing a press fabric as claimed inclaim 10 , wherein said base fabric is a first base fabric, furthercomprising, between steps e) and f), the steps of: a) providing a secondbase fabric woven from machine- and cross-machine-direction yarns, saidsecond base fabric having an outer surface; and b) disposing said secondbase fabric inside of said base fabric to provide a laminated basefabric.
 16. A method for manufacturing a press fabric as claimed inclaim 15 , further comprising, between steps a) and b), the step ofattaching at least one layer of staple fiber material to said outersurface of said second base fabric.
 17. A method for manufacturing apress fabric as claimed in claim 10 further comprising the step of:attaching a plurality of layers of staple fiber material to both of saidinner and outer surfaces of said base fabric.
 18. A press fabric for thepress section of a paper machine, said press fabric comprising: a basefabric, said base fabric having a first layer, said first layercomprising a first nonwoven mesh fabric strip, said first nonwoven meshfabric strip having a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge, saidfirst nonwoven mesh fabric strip being spirally wound in a plurality ofcontiguous turns wherein said first lateral edge in a turn of said firstnonwoven mesh fabric strip abuts said second lateral edge of an adjacentturn thereof, thereby forming a helically continuous seam separatingadjacent turns of said first nonwoven mesh fabric strip, said helicallycontinuous seam being closed by attaching abutting first and secondlateral edges of said first nonwoven mesh fabric strip to one another,thereby providing said first layer and said base fabric in the form ofan endless loop having a machine direction, a cross-machine direction,an inner surface and an outer surface; and a plurality of layers ofstaple fiber material attached to one of said inner and outer surfacesof said base fabric by needling.
 19. A press fabric as claimed in claim18 further comprising: a second layer, said second layer comprising aplurality of endless loops of equivalent preselected length of anonwoven mesh fabric, each of said endless loops having a first lateraledge and a second lateral edge, said plurality of endless loops being ina side-by-side abutting relationship wherein said first lateral edge ofone endless loop is joined to said second lateral edge of that adjacentthereto, thereby providing said second layer in the form of an endlessloop having a machine direction, a cross-machine direction, an innersurface and an outer surface, said endless loop formed by said secondlayer being on top of (around) said endless loop formed by said firstlayer.
 20. A press fabric as claimed in claim 19 further comprising atleast one layer of staple fiber material between said first and secondlayers of said base fabric.
 21. A press fabric as claimed in claim 18further comprising: a second layer, said second layer comprising asecond nonwoven mesh fabric strip, said second nonwoven mesh fabricstrip having a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge, said secondnonwoven mesh fabric strip being spirally wound in a plurality ofcontiguous turns wherein said first lateral edge in a turn said secondnonwoven mesh fabric strip abuts said second lateral edge of an adjacentturn thereof, thereby forming a helically continuous seam separatingadjacent turns of said second nonwoven mesh fabric strip, said helicallycontinuous seam being closed by attaching abutting first and secondlateral edges of said second nonwoven mesh fabric strip to one another,thereby providing said second layer in the form of an endless loophaving a machine direction, a cross-machine direction, and inner surfaceand an outer surface, said endless loop formed by said second layerbeing on top of (around) said endless loop formed by said first layer.22. A press fabric as claimed in claim 21 further comprising at leastone layer of staple fiber material between said first and second layersof said base fabric.
 23. A press fabric as claimed in claim 21 whereinsaid second layer of said base fabric is spirally wound in a directionopposite to that of said first layer of said base fabric.
 24. A pressfabric as claimed in claim 18 further comprising: a second layer, saidsecond layer comprising a woven base fabric having machine-direction andcross-machine-direction yarns, said woven base fabric being in the formof an endless loop having a machine direction, a cross-machinedirection, an inner surface and an outer surface, said endless loopformed by said second layer being inside of said endless loop formed bysaid first layer.
 25. A press fabric as claimed in claim 24 furthercomprising at least one layer of staple fiber material between saidfirst and second layers of said base fabric.
 26. A press fabric asclaimed in claim 18 further comprising a plurality of layers of staplefiber material attached to the other of said inner and outer surfaces ofsaid base fabric by needling.
 27. A press fabric for the press sectionof a paper machine, said press fabric comprising: a base fabric, saidbase fabric having a first layer, said first layer comprising aplurality of endless loops of equivalent preselected length of anonwoven mesh fabric, each of said endless loops having a first lateraledge and a second lateral edge, said plurality of endless loops being ina side-by-side abutting relationship wherein said first lateral edge ofone endless loop is joined to said second lateral edge of that adjacentthereto, thereby providing said first layer-and said base fabric in theform of an endless loop having a machine direction, a cross-machinedirection, an inner surface and an outer surface; and a plurality oflayers of staple fiber material attached to one of said inner and outersurfaces of said base fabric by needling.
 28. A press fabric as claimedin claim 27 further comprising: a second layer, said second layercomprising a second plurality of endless loops of equivalent preselectedlengths of a nonwoven mesh fabric, each of said endless loops having afirst lateral edge and a second lateral edge, said second plurality ofendless loops being in a side-by-side abutting relationship wherein saidfirst lateral edge of one endless loop is joined to said second lateraledge of that adjacent thereto, thereby providing said second layer inthe form of an endless loop having a machine direction, a cross-machinedirection, an inner surface and an outer surface,-said endless loopformed by said second layer being on top of (around) said endless loopformed by said first layer.
 29. A press fabric as claimed in claim 28further comprising at least one layer of staple fiber material betweensaid first and second layers of said base fabric.
 30. A press fabric asclaimed in claim 27 further comprising: a second layer, said secondlayer comprising a nonwoven mesh fabric strip, said nonwoven mesh fabricstrip having a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge, saidnonwoven mesh fabric strip being spirally wound in a plurality ofcontiguous turns wherein said first lateral edge in a turn of saidnonwoven mesh fabric strip abuts said second lateral edge of an adjacentturn thereof, thereby forming a helically continuous seam separatingadjacent turns of said nonwoven mesh fabric strip, said helicallycontinuous seam being closed by attaching abutting first and secondlateral edges of said nonwoven mesh fabric strip to one another, therebyproviding said second layer in the form of an endless loop having amachine direction, a cross-machine direction, an inner surface and anouter surface, said endless loop formed by said second layer being ontop of (around) said endless loop formed by said first layer.
 31. Apress fabric as claimed in claim 30 further comprising at least onelayer of staple fiber material between said first and second layers ofsaid base fabric.
 32. A -press fabric as claimed in claim 27 furthercomprising: a second layer, said second layer comprising a woven basefabric having machine-direction and cross-machine-direction yarns, saidwoven base fabric being in the form of an endless loop having a machinedirection, a cross-machine direction, an inner surface and an outersurface, said endless loop formed by said second layer being inside ofsaid endless loop formed by said first layer.
 33. A press fabric asclaimed in claim 32 further comprising at least one layer of staplefiber material between said first and second layers of said base fabric.34. A press fabric as claimed in claim 27 further comprising a pluralityof layers of staple fiber material attached to the other of said innerand outer surfaces of said base fabric by needling.
 35. A press fabricas claimed in claims 18, 21 or 30 wherein said nonwoven mesh fabricstrip is a net-like structure of monofilament-like elements, and has alengthwise direction and a crosswise-direction.
 36. A press fabric asclaimed in claim 35 wherein said monofilament-like elements are orientedin said lengthwise and crosswise directions.
 37. A press fabric asclaimed in claim 35 wherein said nonwoven mesh fabric strip is extrudedfrom a thermoplastic resin.
 38. A press fabric as claimed in claim 37wherein said thermoplastic resin is selected from the group consistingof polyamide, polypropylene and polyethylene.
 39. A press fabric asclaimed in claim 35 wherein said monofilament-like elements have a widthin the range from 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm.
 40. A press fabric as claimed inclaim 35 wherein said monofilament-like elements are spaced from oneanother by a distance in the range from 0.1 mm to 2.0 mm.
 41. A pressfabric as claimed in claims 19, 27 or 28 wherein said nonwoven meshfabric is a net-like structure of monofilament-like elements, and has alengthwise direction and a crosswise direction.
 42. A press fabric asclaimed in claim 41 wherein said monofilament-like elements are orientedin said lengthwise and crosswise directions.
 43. A press fabric asclaimed in claim 41 wherein said nonwoven mesh fabric is extruded from athermoplastic resin.
 44. A press fabric as claimed in claim 43 whereinsaid thermoplastic resin is selected from the group consisting ofpolyamide, polypropylene and polyethylene.
 45. A press fabric as claimedin claim 41 wherein said monofilament-like elements have a width in therange from 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm.
 46. A press fabric as claimed in claim 41wherein said monofilament-like elements are spaced from one another by adistance in the range from 0.1 mm to 2.0 mm.